


The Nuances in Flirting

by K_K_TiBal



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, First Dates, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, High School, High School Student Castiel, High School Student Dean, Jock Dean, M/M, Miscommunication, Pining, Student Government Leader Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-07 23:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11633955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_K_TiBal/pseuds/K_K_TiBal
Summary: Based on the tumblr prompt: “HS AU with popular!Dean and popular!Cas, they're those two annoying guys who make funny (but also obnoxious) comments in every single class, and make stupid, flirtatious remarks to each other like "Cas looks pretty hot today guys" or "I'm totally dating Dean, everyone" etc. Only thing is, they're secretly in love, but neither will admit it."





	The Nuances in Flirting

**Author's Note:**

> Hope this was what you were wishing for!  
> Rebloggable version[HERE](http://thebloggerbloggerfun.tumblr.com/post/163511918871/hello-i-have-an-idea-for-the-ficlet-feel-better)

“Please take your seats quickly. I want to discuss your quiz scores so we can go over any questions you may have before the final test.” Ms. Mills said with a stack of papers clutched against her chest.

Dean stretched his arms above his head as he flopped into his usual seat on the third row, next to the wall so he could lean up against it in times of extreme laziness. He sprawled out accordingly, dropping his backpack to the floor and draping his letterman jacket over his seat until the air conditioning kicked in during the middle of class like it usually did. 

“Hey, hot stuff.” Dean said with a nod as Castiel sat down in the seat next to him. 

“Good morning, Dean.” Castiel said, barely looking up as he aligned his binder and world history book neatly on the small desk in front of him. 

“How was that student council thingy yesterday?” Dean asked, popping a piece of gum into his mouth. 

“Absolutely dreary without your shining personality to brighten all of our days,” Castiel murmured, completely straight-faced. 

Dean winked as Ms. Mills began talking again. 

“Some of you need to look at your notes from the beginning of the year again,” she said as she began passing back the quizzes. “And some of you need to remember that - if you want full credit on the final test - the answer to ‘What are the seven wonders of the ancient world’ is not ‘Castiel Novak’s Ass’ written seven times.” 

She frowned when she got to Dean’s desk, dropping the paper on his desk as the rest of the class laughed.

Dean clicked his tongue and made a finger gun at Castiel with another wink. 

“Really, Dean? Don’t be childish.” Castiel said, just loud enough for everyone to hear. “We all know that’s not true. I haven’t done any squats in at least a month.” 

Dean hummed as he leaned back in his seat, obviously inspecting Castiel’s rear end. “Hmmm. Doesn’t show.” 

“If you two are quite finished -” Ms. Mills rolled her eyes and made her way back up to the front of the room and rested a hand on her hip. “Now, did anyone have any questions on anything that you’d like to go over?”

Dean leaned forward and raised his hand. 

“Besides you.” 

Dean let his hand drop to rest above his heart in a faux-wounded position. 

“Ms. Mills. I’m shocked and offended that you would deny me my right to receive an education. I wouldn’t dare waste your time with trivial questions.” 

Ms. Mills raised an eyebrow. 

“Mmhmm. What’s your question.” 

“I noticed that you maked me down on question twelve? We had to name one of the causes of Enlightenment?” 

“Again, the answer is not ‘Castiel Novak’s Ass’.” 

The class broke out into laughter again as Dean leaned back in his chair and did - yet another - finger gun at his best friend. 

“You can pay me after class,” Dean said teasingly. 

Castiel nodded seriously.

“Cash or credit?” 

The laughter finally died down, ending with a long sigh from the front of the classroom. 

“... anyone  _ else _ have any questions?”

***

Dean leaned back against the wall with the rest of their gym class while Castiel and Meg, who had been elected by Bobby (who’d be damned if any of the students called him  _ Mr. Singer) _ stood up front, picking teams for dodgeball. 

“Ruby,” Meg said with a lazy wave, and Ruby skipped over to stand next to her. 

Dean smirked as Castiel pretended to survey the rest of the group before pointing at directly and predictably at Dean. 

“I guess I’ll take that fine specimen over there.” 

Dean flexed as he practically pranced over to his friend, posing next to him while the rest of the class either chuckled or rolled their eyes. 

“Raphael.”

“Anna.”

“Abaddon.”

“Jo.”

The choosing continued until there was no one left and both teams had made their way over to their prospective sides for a pre-game huddle. 

“Alright, here’s the plan,” Dean said in as loud of a whisper as he dared. “When the whistle blows, Cas, you stay behind and I’ll run ahead so that you can stare at my ass.”

Jo snorted. 

“C’mon, Dean. Be serious -”

“No, no,” Castiel interrupted, holding up his hand. “He has a point. I think it’s a worthy sacrifice.”

“You guys are ridiculous.”Jo said, shaking her head. “Anyway, I think we should all run for it and damn the consequences.”

Castiel nodded along as Jo spoke. 

“Yes. In all seriousness, Jo’s correct. As team captain, I think that we all should do whatever we can to get our hands on those balls.”

“Cas, you  _ know  _ you can always get your hands on  _ my -” _

“Shut the fuck up, Dean,” Jo said in exasperation. 

***

Dean stripped off all of his football gear and took a quick shower before running back outside to the bleachers where Castiel usually met him after practice. He didn’t always stick around after school, but when Cas had student government stuff after, he’d watch what was left of Dean’s practices as they tended to go longer. 

“How was practice?” Castiel asked, snapping his book closed and hopping off the bleachers to fall in step with Dean. 

“Same old, same old,” Dean said, tugging up his shirt to rub at his damp hair. “Coach yells, we run, Lucifer trips Michael, and Benny tries to set me up on a date.” 

Castiel tucked his book under his arm and nodded. “Sounds exciting. And you said?”

“That all a man will ever need is a cool drink of water like yourself.” Dean placed a hand over his own heart, bowing his head in reverence. 

“A good answer,” Castiel said, nodding in his approval as they neared Dean’s car. “So, what’s your mom making for dinner tonight?”

“The best goddamn mashed potatoes you’ll ever have.” 

“Wonderful.” Castiel grinned as he opened the Impala’s passenger side door and slipped inside. “I’m starving.” 

They drove the ten minute drive to Dean’s house with the radio turned all the way up, singing the lyrics of various love songs to each other as dramatically as they could, with Castiel reminding Dean to watch the road as needed. 

“Mom!” Dean shouted as he opened the front door. “Do we have enough food for a plus one?” 

He dropped his backpack and stripped his shoes at the front door, watching Castiel do the same. 

“Of course!” he heard from the kitchen. “Who’d you bring?”

“Adonis reincarnate.”

“Dean, you know Castiel is always welcome.” Mary said, and poked her head out from behind the doorframe. “Hello, Cas.”

“Hi, Mrs. Winchester.” Castiel waved before turning to Dean with a raised eyebrow. “Adonis reincarnate, huh? That’s a new one.”

Dean grinned. 

“Only the best for you, babe.”

***

“Listen, Dean.”

Dean looked up from where he was shoving all of his clean laundry into its respective drawers while Cas lay on his bed.

“Yeah?”

Castiel’s hands drummed on his stomach. 

“I was thinking… what if we went on a date?”

Dean paused and turned completely around, a pair of boxer shorts still in his hand. 

“What?”

Castiel propped himself up on his elbows and licked his lips. 

“You know. A.... date. You and me. Doing something together.” Dean watched Castiel pause and clear his throat. “Would you want to?”

Dean tilted his head and let a slow smile creep across his lips. 

“Cas, I think that’s an amazing idea.” 

Castiel’s mouth fell open, and an even wider grin split his face. 

“Wait - really? You think?”

“Absolutely! You’re a genius! People will think that’s hilarious!”

Dean burst out laughing at the thought of everyone’s faces at school when they found out. It would really be the icing on the top of the cake for a lot of people. Not only would they flirt with each other at every opportunity, but now an actual date? Incredible. 

“Right. Yeah.” 

Dean glanced over at Castiel, who was looking away, his smile nearly gone. 

“No, it really will be funny! Jo will probably die laughing. It’s a great idea, Cas.”

Castiel chuckled, but even that sounded forced, like he no longer found his idea funny. 

“Thanks,” he murmured, flopping back down on the bed and staring out the window.

Weird.

Still, even though it would be a joke, the idea of going on a date with Cas… it was nice. Nicer than he’d thought it would be. 

Not that he’d ever...you know. 

_ Thought _ about that. 

“So, what did you want to do for it?” Dean asked, though he already had a list of possibilities that he was running through. Dinner and a movie was up there at the top of the list, just because of how incredibly cliche it was.  

“I don’t care,” Cas mumbled, picking up his book again and turning to his bookmark. “You decide.” 

Dean tossed the boxers into his top drawer and rubbed his hands together. 

This was going to be the best date of his life. 

***

It was not the best date of his life. 

It was...okay. Very average, if he had to make a guess. 

Definitely by no fault of Dean’s, he finally decided. He was making sure to go out of his way to be especially flirtatious with Castiel on their date by holding doors open, being more touchy-feely than usual, and absolutely drowning him in pet names. 

Cas, however, wasn’t playing off of him as well as he usually did. 

“Here you are, sunshine,” Dean said, opening the passenger door for Castiel with a flourish. “I hope you enjoyed the meal.”

“Thanks,” Castiel said, sliding into the seat and shutting the door himself, nearly wrenching it from Dean’s grasp. 

Dean pressed his lips together as he walked over to the other side of the car to let himself in. 

“You doing okay?” he asked and started the car, sparing a glance over to Castiel. 

Castiel let out a breath and shot him a quick smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Yes. I’m fine. Just a little tired, I think.”

“Oh, okay.” Dean drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he drove, the silence making the drive a little more awkward than it usually was.

“And here we are,” Dean said cheerfully when they stopped in front of Castiel’s house. “Home sweet home.”

Castiel smiled and leaned his head back on the head rest. “Well, thanks Dean. It was a fun date. We should - what are you doing?”

Dean paused in the middle of opening the driver’s side door. 

“Um, walking you to your front door, of course.” 

“Oh,” Castiel ducked his head and the dim lighting made it almost look like Castiel was blushing. “Dean, you don’t need to do that. I think I can find my way on my own.”

Dean scoffed and shook his head, as if the very thought of such an act wounded his honor.

“What kind of gentleman would that make me? Please.” he winked and quickly shut the door behind him to get to the other side of the car before Castiel opened the door. “It’s my pleasure.”

Castiel looked up at him as Dean opened the car door, and Dean’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat. 

Oh. Well. 

He’d probably just had a little too much fun pretending to be on a date with him, is all. It was just muscle memory for him by now.

Castiel climbed out. Dean shut the door. The two of them walked up to Castiel’s porch. 

Just like they would do on a real date. 

“Again, thank you, Dean. It was fun.” Castiel said, smiling at him from just a foot away. 

“Are you gonna leave me without a goodnight kiss?”

Dean wasn’t sure why he said it, probably because that’s what he did at the end of every date, but the moment it was out of his mouth he knew there was no taking it back. Part of him wasn’t even sure that he wanted to. 

Castiel’s lips pulled into slight frown, and Dean realized that’s where he’d been staring for quite some time now. 

“What?”

“You know. Goodnight kiss.” Dean pointed to his own lips with a smile. 

“Why?” Castiel was squinting now, like he usually did when he didn’t understand something the teacher was saying or when he was working out a math problem. 

“To like, make the date official. It’ll be funny.” Dean shrugged. 

Castiel’s frown deepened. 

“No.Goodnight, Dean.”

“Oh, come on, Cas!” Dean reached out and rested a hand on his forearm as Castiel turned away to open the door to his house. “It won’t  _ mean _ anything. Just a kiss so we can tell people we did!”

Dean could see Castiel’s grip on the doorknob tighten minimally, and when Castiel looked back with a face full of  _ hurt _ \- 

Dean took a step back. 

“That’s why I’m saying ‘no’.” 

And Dean was left alone on the porch. 

***

Dean closed the door to his house as quietly as he could, and rubbed at his eyes in confusion. Something had gone very, very badly and Dean’s mind was experiencing a little too much turbulence for him to figure out what exactly that meant or where it had happened. 

“Dean? Is that you?” 

Dean rubbed at the back of his head as he made his way into the living room, following the sound of his mother’s voice. 

Mary was sitting on the couch with a book in her lap; her hair was pulled back into a messy and reading glasses rested on the tip of her nose. 

“Hey, mom.” 

Mary looked up and smiled. 

“Hey, hun. What were you up to?”

Dean sighed and flopped down on the couch next to her, resting his hands on his stomach. 

“Went on a date with Cas.”

“Oh? And how’d it go?”

Dean shrugged and made a noncommittal grunt. 

“Well, what did you do for the date?”

“Dinner and a movie.”

Mary raised her eyebrow. 

“Really? I thought that was something you only did on first dates.”

Dean frowned and glanced over at his mother as she calmly turned a page in her book.

“It- it  _ was _ a first date.” 

Mary made a face at Dean and tutted as she shook her head in disappointment. 

“You’ve never taken your boyfriend on a proper date? Dean.”

Dean sat up. 

“Wha - but I - we’re not - it’s not like -” Dean steepled his fingers together and pressed them against his lips. “Wait, what...what makes you think that Cas and I are  _ dating _ ?”

“Well,” Mary pursed her lips thoughtfully and folded a dog-ear in her book. “Besides the intense amount of flirting that’s sort of a giveaway? Two things. One is the way that you look at him.”

“The way I....” Dean trailed off, a question in is voice. 

“The way you look at him. Dean, the way you stare at Castiel reminds me of the way people stare at stars. It’s like there’s nothing else in the world you’d rather be looking at.”

Dean felt the a light blush begin crawling up his neck. 

“Oh. Um. What’s the second thing, then?”

Mary smiled. 

“The way he looks at  _ you _ .”

***

“Cas! Hey,  _ Cas!” _

Dean shoved his way through the crowds of lunch period, trying to catch up to his best friend. Castiel had been extremely successful in avoiding him throughout their classes and even the teachers had noticed that he’d sat on the opposite side of the room from Dean instead right next to him as he usually did. 

“‘Scuse me. Pardon me.” Dean used few well-timed elbow jabs until he could finally tap Castiel on the shoulder. “Cas. Hey.”

Castiel glanced over his shoulder and squinted. 

“Oh. Hello Dean. How did everyone take the news about our date last night?” he asked, folding his arms in front of his chest and not bothering to hide the slight venom in his voice.

“I uh, I haven’t told anyone.” Dean said, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Look, can we talk?”

Castiel shrugged. 

“Sure.”

Dean grabbed Castiel by his hand and led him outside where there weren’t so many people surrounding them before.

He took a deep breath, quickly running through the major points of long speech that he’d prepared in his head. It was full of eloquent apologies and deep confessions that he hoped would help Castiel realize how he felt and maybe help him forgive what an ass he was.

“Will you be my boyfriend?” Dean blurted, then slapped a hand over his mouth. 

Castiel’s eyes widened almost comically. 

“ _ What?” _

“Shit, wait. That was supposed to come last.” Dean licked his lips, feeling the panic set in. “Look, Cas. I’m so sorry about last night. I played it off like it was just a joke but...I don’t think it was. I don’t think any of this has been a joke for me and I’ve just been too much of an idiot to realize it. What I’m  _ trying  _ to say here is, I uh, I really like you, Cas. I don’t want any of this to be pretend anymore. I want you to be my boyfriend.”

Castiel continued to stare, and Dean didn’t blame him for taking his time while he digested the word-vomit that he’d just dumped. 

“So…” he said finally. “The date was  _ real _ ?”

Dean shrugged, letting himself smile a little. 

“It should have been.”

Castiel nodded to himself and slowly reached out to grab Dean’s hand, giving him plenty of time to move back if this wasn’t something he wanted. 

He wanted it. 

“Then I think I’d like that very much, Dean.” Castiel murmured, intertwining their fingers together with a grin. 

“ _ Awesome _ .” Dean breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed his hand tightly, not bothering to hide how giddy Castiel’s simple answer had made him. They were  _ holding hands. _ Of course, they had before, but all of those times were just screwing around being funny.

This wasn’t funny anymore.

It was so much better than that. 

It was real.

“So, uh, Cas?” Dean said, ducking his head a little to hide his playful grin.

“Mmmhm?” 

“If that date was real, does that mean I can get a goodnight kiss now?” 

Castiel raised an eyebrow, a teasing look on his face as he slowly leaned in, causing Dean’s heart to nearly burst from his chest in anticipation-

And pressed a finger against Dean’s lips. 

“I never kiss on the first date. I’ll see you later, darling. ”

Dean laughed as Castiel slipped from his grasp and walked away, a slight skip in his step. 

“Then I’ll pick you up at eight, hot stuff!” He called after Castiel’s retreating silhouette. 

A few meandering students paused and stared at Dean curiously.

“That’s my boyfriend.” Dean said with a nonchalant shrug and the biggest goddamn smile that he’d ever had on his face. 


End file.
